The Memory That Wasn’t Mine

Embergrave Fortress greeted us like a corpse pretending to smile.

Blackened walls. Burnt flags still fluttering. Statues weeping melted bronze.

The main gate hung open, the stone underneath scorched from past battles. As we stepped inside, the pendant I bought from the merchant pulsed once… then shattered.

Lan Ruo raised an eyebrow. "That's not ominous."

"It's just dramatic flair," I said.

The door behind us closed with a slam.

Zhao Feng's eyes widened. "Okay, that was flair with fangs."

---

Inside, the halls of Embergrave were choked with ash. Old runes lined the walls—some glowing faintly, others cracked and bleeding Qi.

Qing'er whispered, "This place… it's not abandoned."

She was right.

Because something watched us.

Not physically. Not from above or behind.

From within.

> "We're being read," I said. "Like pages in a scroll."

Zhao Feng tapped his head. "Something's poking my thoughts."

Lan Ruo gripped her sword tighter. "Then don't think anything embarrassing."

Zhao blurted, "Too late—already imagined dual cultivating with the fox girl!"

TroubleMaker hissed.

Qing'er glared.

Zhao looked sheepish. "That wasn't… out loud in my head, right?"

---

We reached the Inner Archive, a grand hall full of floating orbs, shattered scrolls, and a massive mirror at the center.

On the floor, etched in gold, was a phrase in ancient flame script:

> Here lies truth unasked for. And answers that bite back.

The scroll in my sleeve buzzed violently.

> Flame Memory proximity: MAXIMUM

Warning: Memory is... mismatched

Lan Ruo noticed my face pale.

"What's wrong?"

"The scroll's warning me this memory… might not be mine."

Zhao blinked. "You mean you're about to remember someone else's trauma?"

"Maybe. Or their crimes."

"Or their taste in women?" he asked hopefully.

Qing'er kicked him.

---

I approached the mirror.

It shimmered.

Then—swallowed me.

---

I fell through flame.

And landed in a field of glowing ash.

Before me stood a woman—eyes like winter steel, lips red as fresh blood, robes dark as moonless night.

She looked nothing like anyone I remembered.

And yet—

> "You again," she said.

> "Still chasing memories not yours."

I opened my mouth.

And felt nothing.

No voice.

No flame.

Just… void.

> "You wore his face once," she said softly. "But you're not him."

> "He burned brighter. He kissed sharper. He lied better."

She drew a blade of obsidian light.

> "You think knowing his past makes you worthy of his power?"

> "Let me show you what he paid for it."

She lunged.

---

Pain. Blinding.

She carved a flame symbol into my chest, and with each stroke, I saw—

Ashen Fang kissing her under moonlight.

Ashen Fang chaining her in a ritual circle.

Ashen Fang whispering, "This is the price of power."

And then—

Ashen Fang walking away as she screamed his name.

---

I collapsed.

Blood—or whatever passed for it in a soul vision—dripped into the ash.

She stood over me, blade trembling.

> "I hate you," she said.

> "Even if you're not him… you smell like his guilt."

She knelt.

Touched my face.

And whispered a final truth:

> "He didn't lose us."

> "He threw us away."

---

I woke up screaming.

---

Lan Ruo and Qing'er rushed to me.

"You were out for ten minutes," Qing'er said.

Lan checked my forehead. "You're burning up."

I looked down.

The flame symbol… was burned into my chest.

"Li Xian," Lan said softly. "What happened?"

"I think… I saw someone Ashen Fang betrayed."

"And?"

"I think… she loved him. And wanted to kill him."

Zhao, from the corner, muttered, "Sounds familiar."

---

As we left the Archive, the scroll updated:

> Memory Fragment – UNKNOWN – Acquired

Origin: Not recognized

Flame Resonance: 68%

Void Flame Reaction: MUTED

Emotion Registered: Guilt. And fear.

WARNING: Soul Alignment drift detected. Identity stability at 84%

I blinked.

"Soul alignment drift?"

Lan Ruo read over my shoulder.

"You're absorbing too much," she said. "Of him."

"He is me."

"No," she snapped. "You're you. Li Xian. Idiot. Sword-waver. Scroll-reader. Flame-snarker."

She stepped close.

"If you turn into him completely, what happens to us?"

I didn't have an answer.

---

That night, I stayed awake.

Qing'er sat beside me eventually.

"You think she's still alive?" she asked.

"The woman in the vision?"

She nodded.

"I don't know. But if she is… she probably wants to finish what she started."

Qing'er looked at the stars.

"She loved him once."

"I think that's why she'll be the one to kill him."

And maybe…

That's why she might try to kill me.

---

[SYSTEM UPDATE]

> Memory Count: 6 (1 unverified)

Soul Alignment Drift: Warning Level

Emotional Balance: Unstable

Companion Trust: Qing'er 74%, Lan Ruo 68%, Zhao Feng... chaotic neutral

New Location Unlocked: The Wandering Shrine of Scorched Light

Quest: Find the woman who survived Ashen Fang

---

To be continued...

---

✍️ Author's Note – by [Your Pen Name from Shadows of the Last Light]

🔥 Chapter 20 brought:

A false me

mory… or a stolen one

A mysterious woman who remembers Ashen Fang deeply

MC shaken, flame-marked, and now unsure who he really is

Soul Alignment beginning to drift — danger of becoming his past self

Lan Ruo calling him out emotionally

And Qing'er slowly remembering more than she's saying...